Kompany glad of pressure

20 October 2009 03:49

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Manchester City midfielder Vincent Kompany admits his team must learn to live with the pressure of expectation.
The 23-year-old Belgium international, who signed a new five-year contract on Monday, is delighted with City's start to the Premier League campaign with the Blues having accrued 17 points from eight games so far.
Mark Hughes splashed out £120million on new players during the summer, and Kompany knows the team must raise their game and not be afraid by the new pressure and expectation at Eastlands.
"United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have been living with it for years," he said.
"They have still delivered. Unless you can do it as well, you don't belong there.
"At the moment there is no reason why I should say we can't finish in the top four and be as good as all those teams.
"There is no sign those teams are better than ourselves, Tottenham or Aston Villa."
Kompany made his first appearance of the season in City's 1-1 draw with Wigan on Sunday, and he believes there it a noticeable change of attitude in the dressing room with the arrival of experienced players such as Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor.
"That is why we are a better side," he added. "Everybody would agree we had some terrific players last season as well but the mentality was nowhere near what it is this year.
"We go into games knowing the opposition is not stronger than us. We work hard for each other.
"When one player is injured, another steps in and we can expect the same from him. That is why we are a good side.
"It is hard to get into the team but that will only make us stronger. It is definitely a positive."